The Lotus Fire

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From the Jacket:

In his preface to this great study in symbolic yoga, Dr. G.S. Arundale says that it consists of notes taken at the time of his own personal exploration in the field of symbology, 'explorations which were fortunate enough to have the guidance of One whose discoveries in innumerable fields have constituted Him a Master of the Wisdom of Life. But even this guidance gives the notes no special authority, for both the guidance and the explorations are individual to myself'.

Dr. Arundale also says:
'One night one of the Great Beings, who is a Messenger of the Lord Siva, disclosed to me, one after another, certain Symbols in their cosmic significance… The whole vista of the meaning and purpose of evolution gradually unveiled itself before me, and I have done my best to write it down as I perceived it, and where I could, to obtain corroboration from the great books of our Theosophical classic literature.

The work is divided into five Books - The vigil of purification; Symbols living and radiant; Symbols real and dynamic; From the symbols to no-symbol; and Symbols at work.

In publishing The Lotus• Fire: A Study in Symbolic Yoga, I am very' conscious of the fact that its only' value: lies in the extent to which it is. able to suggest to the adventurous thinker and student of life heretofore- uncharted fields for fruitful exploration. The book consists of notes taken at the time of my own personal explorations in a field in which I had long been keenly interested, explorations which were fortunate enough to have- the guidance of One whose discoveries in innumerable fields have con- stituted Him a Master of the Wisdom of. Life. But even this guidance gives. the notes no special authority, for both the guidance and the explorations are individual to myself.

The value of the guidance and the explorations lies, as I have said, in the extent to which these stimulate the adventurous and challenging spirit of the reader, sending him forth on his own unique way, and by no means. seeking to invite his adherence to the way I myself am travelling.

Far from presuming to disclose truth and to invite the reader to accept it, I am only disclosing a way I have found which appears to lead in the direction of something true for me. The notes which constitute the material published were written down while the actual.journeyings were taking place which led to the discovery of the Symbols. At some risk of redundance and incoherence, they have been left as far as possible intact. so that to some extent at least they may convey the strange atmosphere of the events they describe.

On the other hand, much material has been added both by way of corroboration, of comparison, and of indications as to further study; and I have. very specially to thank Mrs. Adeltha Peterson, of Adyar. for her most valuable assistance in this respect. Mrs. Peterson is her:self a deep student of Theosophy and of the occult, and her sympathetic understanding has immensely facilitated both the investigations and the writing of them down. I thank also Miss Helen Veale and Miss Edith Pinchin for comments of value.

To Mrs. Dinshaw, also of Adyar, my very special thanks are no less due for giving particular assistance in preparing the notes for publication, including the very excellent synopses of the various chapters preceding each book, and for a most careful and critical revision of the proofs.

Mrs. Halsey and those who worked with her have been of invalu- able help in preparing an adequate index, a work involving many weeks of concentrated effort.

To Mr. Conrad Woldringh I owe the exquisite little drawings he has made, and also the beautiful frontispiece. The artistic production of much of Adyar's literary output is due to his genius. And as usual Mr. C. Subbarayudu and his co-workers of the Vasanta Press at Adyar have given their skill and their patience in those important mechanical processes whereby thoughts are able to incarnate in gracious forms.

. Finally, I. am gratefully thankful to Rukmini Devi for her constant inspiration, and I offer respectful homage to .Adyar for making possible these excursions into the Kingdom of Yoga. There are but a few places on the world's surface' where Yoga can be effectively and safely under- taken. Among these places, Adyar certainly stands very high.